Respiratory Care Practitioner III - Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center - PRN

Bon Secours Mercy Health•Emporia, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Respiratory Care Practitioner III provides respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation. The role performs respiratory care procedures, including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education. The practitioner monitors patient responses to therapies and recommends changes or modifications based on assessment findings. The practitioner may provide clinical instruction and in-service training, mentor team members and students, support clinical learning through rounds and practice evaluation, and provide clinical leadership to respiratory care staff. The role may also contribute to quality improvement and clinical research initiatives, participate in facility councils and committees, and serve as shift Charge Therapist, helping coordinate assignments and maintain staffing coverage. The position includes assisting physicians with procedures; providing CPR and airway management; conducting airway maintenance and respiratory treatments; operating and evaluating ventilators; performing pulmonary function tests when applicable; assessing patients; interpreting arterial blood gases; and maintaining respiratory equipment and supplies. It also includes educating patients and families about respiratory therapies and responding to cardiopulmonary resuscitations.

Requirements

Current respiratory care license in the state of employment.
National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credential.
BLS Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.
ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification from the American Heart Association or Red Cross.
PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification from the American Heart Association.
Two years of experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist or five years as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT).
Demonstrated clinical competency in at least two of the following environments: Nursery/NICU, PICU, ICU/CCU, ED, and general care areas.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with patients, families, physicians, and staff.
Good communication, customer service, organizational, time-management, oral communication, and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with diverse people, receive feedback, gather and interpret data, and demonstrate accountability.
Knowledge of non-invasive respiratory therapy equipment, such as oximeters or end-tidal CO2 analyzers.
Knowledge of therapeutic procedures including CPAP/BiPAP, jet aerosol, oxygen therapy, incentive spirometry, chest physiotherapy, pulse oximetry, high-flow oxygen, continuous aerosols, ventilator management, and diagnostic testing.
Understanding of EKGs, electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Ability to perform arterial blood gas punctures and testing, airway maneuvers, bedside pulmonary function testing, patient assessment, and patient education.
Knowledge of chest suction equipment and chest X-ray interpretation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree related to respiratory therapy, healthcare, healthcare administration, or business administration.
Master’s degree related to healthcare, healthcare administration, or business administration.
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification from AAP/AWHONN.
Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) credential.
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) credential.
Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) credential from NBRC.
EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) training.

Responsibilities

Provide respiratory care through patient assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation.
Perform respiratory procedures, including oxygen and aerosolized medication delivery, ventilator care, bronchial hygiene therapy, diagnostic services, and patient and staff education.
Monitor patients’ responses to respiratory therapies and recommend changes or modifications based on assessment.
Provide clinical instruction or in-service training to department staff, other healthcare team members, and students, as needed.
Mentor team members and students; support clinical learning through mentorship, rounds, and practice evaluation.
Provide clinical leadership to respiratory practice staff in intensive care, general care, and outpatient services.
Provide feedback for coaching and performance evaluations of team members.
Help identify quality-improvement initiatives and develop programs with measurable outcomes.
Lead clinical research initiatives and support study education, training, implementation, data collection, record keeping, and product evaluation, as applicable.
Participate in facility councils and committees.
Serve as shift Charge Therapist, coordinating staff assignments, coverage, call-offs, meal coverage, and staffing for the next shift as needed.
Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, transtracheal catheter insertion, tracheotomy, intubation where applicable, and invasive monitoring.
Perform CPR, including closed-chest compressions and airway management, in accordance with AHA ACLS protocol.
Maintain patient airways using appropriate airway devices; provide humidification and secretion aspiration; manage extubation and ETT cuff pressures; and document procedures.
Select, assemble, monitor, and evaluate mechanical ventilators, address malfunctions, maintain cleanliness, and determine appropriateness for patient condition.
Perform pulmonary function tests when applicable.
Assess patients using inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, observation of behavior, and review of patient records.
Perform prescribed treatments, explain therapy and goals to patients, and modify procedures according to patient response.
Assess whether prescribed therapy is appropriate and recommend methods to physicians to achieve therapeutic goals.
Set up and maintain oxygen therapy modes to support adequate oxygenation at prescribed inspired oxygen levels.
Administer IPPB and aerosol therapy; prepare prescribed medications, adjust equipment to patient needs, monitor and document patient response and vital signs, and identify adverse reactions or concerns about therapy.
Provide postural drainage, vibration, and percussion; review orders and X-rays, and assess patients before and after treatment.
Instruct patients and families in incentive spirometry, MDI administration, postural drainage and clapping, oxygen therapy, ventilator care, and home aerosol therapy.
Obtain sputum specimens or support airway clearance through coaching, mucolytics, aerosol therapy, or suctioning.
Evaluate normal and pathologic blood and urine laboratory values.
Perform arterial punctures and analysis and interpret arterial blood gas results.
Perform arterial-line procedures using safety precautions and sterile technique, including flushing and ABG aspiration.
Perform EKGs when applicable and understand electronic monitoring, lead placement, and basic arrhythmias.
Maintain respiratory therapy equipment and supplies.
Respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitations and participate as indicated by clinical circumstances.